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What was scribbled on that piece of paper remains a mystery - even if Matic later joked that it was to remind him he was about to have three days off - but it also showed how Bailly’s role has changed a little since coming back from injury last month.

The 23-year-old has made two substitute appearances, playing a grand total of 10 minutes, and has been introduced as United look to close out games at the death - even playing as an anchorman against Huddersfield last month.

That would have been unimaginable a year ago. Bailly is undoubtedly United’s best defender and Mourinho would have done everything possible to ensure he was back in the starting line-up once the doctors and physios had given him the all-clear.

Instead, we have seen Marcos Rojo,Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gradually eased back into the fold after periods out through injury. That may seem a strange statement when Ibrahimovic, for example, recovered after just seven months out with a serious knee injury but the Swede had to be held back.

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A similar tactic could pay dividends with Bailly, who has played just 47% of United’s games since joining the club from Villarreal in June, 2016, and it seems unlikely the defender will start a game before the international break.

Indeed, if Bailly does not play against Crystal Palace on Monday night, it could be argued he shouldn’t start against Liverpool, Sevilla or Brighton in a week which will define United’s season.

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Maybe a more realistic return date would be the home game against Swansea on March 31 - a week before the Manchester derby - so Bailly initially has a chance to slowly build up his match fitness with a number of outings as a substitute.

United will hope, by then, he could feature in a potential Champions League quarter-final and FA Cup semi-final.

But the reality now is being without Bailly, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo is not the doomsday scenario it would have been a year ago. Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling have been steady in their last three starts together in the heart of the defence and Mourinho will not be in a rush to break that partnership up.

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Even if Smalling’s player of the month nomination was a bit of a stretch!

One thing is for certain. Bailly will benefit from his manager’s patience going forward and the fact he will not be playing at the World Cup is also a bonus for United as he looks to put his niggles behind him.